Deb Reynolds for Senate - NH

SENATE ACTS ON COMPROMISE ON NEW SHORELAND PROTECTION RULES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Contact: Senator Deborah Reynolds (603) 271-3569

Senator Kathleen Sgambati (603) 271-3074

SENATE ACTS ON COMPROMISE ON NEW SHORELAND PROTECTION RULES

CONCORD - In an effort to reach a prompt compromise with the House, the Senate voted today for a July 1 implementation date for new rules that place tighter restrictions on shorefront construction.

The compromise position comes after a House committee refused to accept an Oct. 1 implementation date adopted by the Senate, threatening to leave the original implementation date of April 1 in place.

Senate leaders from both parties preferred the Oct. 1 implementation date because it gave homeowners and builders more time to familiarize themselves with the complexities of the new rules. But the majority voted to support the July 1 date so lakefront property owners and builders were not left in limbo as a legislative debate dragged on.

After speaking with several House members, Senate Majority Leader Joseph Foster said he's confident the implementation date will be resolved before the end of next week. The new July 1 implementation date was added as an amendment to House Bill 1601.

"Many of us would have preferred the later date, but it is important to get the issue resolved and not put the entire Shoreland Protection Act at risk. Builders and homeowners need to know what rules will apply and when," said Senator Kathleen Sgambati (D-Tilton).

Senator Deborah Reynolds (D-Plymouth) said she reluctantly supported the change from Oct. 1 to July 1 because she wanted to make sure builders and homeowners could proceed with their plans, knowing what set of rules they had to work under.

"It's not fair to leave our constituents up in the air on this," she said. "At least with a July1 start date, we give people a little more time to get familiar with the new permitting process before the new rules take effect," she said.

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SENATE PASSES REUSABLE BAG RESOLUTION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Contact: Senator Deborah Reynolds (603) 271-3569

Marjorie Rose, parent advisor (603) 667-1823

SENATE PASSES REUSABLE BAG RESOLUTION

CONCORD - A resolution promoted by a group of Hanover teenagers passed the Senate today with a 24-0 vote in support of encouraging the use of reusable shopping bags as an environmentally-friendly alternative to paper and plastic.

"I want to thank Kids for a Cooler Planet for bringing this forward and direct you to their terrific website www.kidsforacoolerplanet.com," said Senator Deborah Reynolds (D-Plymouth). "Looking at the website, I was struck by the fact that over 100 billion disposable plastic bags are used in the U.S. each year and the vast majority of them end up in landfills. I'm very proud of these students for drawing attention to this problem and promoting the use of reusable bags to reduce pollution and ease the burden on our landfills."

Four members of the group - Ellen Irwin, 16, Brian Kispert, 16, Jennifer Helble, 15, and Kyle Van Leer- were present in the Senate chamber when the Senate passed the resolution. HCR17 already passed in the House.

"Supporters of HCR17 believe that by passing this resolution, the New Hampshire Legislature will increase awareness of the problems disposable bags bring and will encourage more retailers to sell and promote reusable bags," said Senator Martha Fuller Clark (D-Portsmouth), who leads the Senate committee that recommended passage of the resolution.

The Hanover High School students formed Kids for a Cooler Planet as part of their effort to educate store owners and consumers about the importance of abandoning disposable plastic and paper bags in favor of reusable bags. They got Representative David Pierce (D-Etna) and Senator Reynolds to co-sponsor a resolution recommending reusable bags. The group is seeking similar support from Vermont lawmakers.

These students already have convinced Hanover and Norwich, VT merchants to make reusable bags available and the communities reduced disposable bag use by roughly 700,000 in the first year, the students said.

Senator Peter Burling (D-Cornish) said he expects the effort will reduce the number of plastic bags he sees blowing into the trees as he drives by the Lebanon landfill.

"What you are doing will change the quality of my life and I want to thank you for that," he told the students.

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SENATE COMMITTEE PASSES REUSABLE BAG RESOLUTION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, April 3, 2008

Contact: Senator Deborah Reynolds

(603) 271-3569

Marjorie Rose, parent advisor (603) 667-1823

CONCORD - After hearing from three teenagers from Hanover High School, the Senate Energy, Environment and Economic Development Committee voted 5-0 to recommend passage by the full Senate of House Concurrent Resolution 17, encouraging the use of reusable shopping bags.

"This isn't going to cost the government any money or require any regulation," said Jennifer Helble, 15 and a sophomore at Hanover High, presenting a winning argument from the start.

The Hanover students, not all of whom came to testify today, have create a group called Kids for a Cooler Planet and are committed to educating store owners and consumers about the importance of abandoning disposable plastic and paper bags in favor of reusable bags. The resolution reflects their effort to get the Legislature's endorsement and they're seeking similar support from Vermont lawmakers.

"The United States consumes 100 billion plastic bags annually," explained Ellen Irwin, 16, who started the group after seeing reusable bags used in Australia. It takes 12 million barrels of oil to make those 100 billion plastic bags, she explained. Furthermore, paper bags don't provide a real environmental alternative because their manufacture contributes heavily to air and water pollution.

These students have already convinced Hanover and Norwich, VT merchants to make the reusable bags available and the communities are seeing a marked reduction in the use of plastic as a result, the students said.

John Dumais, president of the New Hampshire Grocers Association, spoke in support of the bill encouraging the switch to reusable bags.

"It reduces our costs frankly, and that cost goes directly back to the consumers," he said. "We're totally and fully supportive of this."

Michael Guilfoy of the state Department of Environmental Services said his department also supports the resolution. "We definitely think you're doing a great thing here," he told the students.

The student presentation, which included the dumping of 500 plastic bags on the committee room floor, quickly won the hearts of the Senate committee members. "This was a wonderful presentation, very factual, very data-driven, a very, very nice job," said Senator Jacalyn Cilley (D-Barrington).

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SENATE DELAYS NEW SHORELAND PROTECTION RULES UNTIL OCT. 1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Contact: Senator Kathleen Sgambati (603) 271-3074

Senator Deborah Reynolds (603) 271-3569

CONCORD - The Senate voted today to adjust the implementation date for new rules that place tighter restrictions on shorefront development.

The Shoreland Protection Act was due to go into effect on April 1 but today's vote in the Senate seeks to push that back to Oct 1. The House must concur with the new date or request a committee of conference for further negotiations with the Senate.

Senator Kathleen Sgambati (D-Tilton) and Senator Deborah Reynolds (D-Plymouth) both support the new shoreline protection measures but want to make sure landowners aren't hurt by the transition to new permitting rules.

They voted in support of the Oct. 1 dates to give the state Department of Environmental Services more time to educate landowners and builders about them.

"It is important that we afford the public, and particularly the building community, sufficient time to get familiar with the new permitting process. Delaying the implementation date to Oct. 1 is more than reasonable given the complexity of the process," said Reynolds.

"My goal was to make sure people who have started the building process know what they need to do to successfully complete their projects," Sgambati said. "The new implementation date gives building officials and others more time to learn the new rules and find out whether they might need a waiver to complete a project that's already been started."

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SENATE APPROVES EDUCATION FUNDING PLAN

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Contact: Senator Iris Estabrook (603) 271-3042

CONCORD - The Senate voted 14-10 today for a new school funding plan that is expected to meet the requirements set out by the New Hampshire Supreme Court for funding an adequate education. Senate Bill 539 now heads to the House.

"This bill is the result of a thorough and data-driven process to identify the costs included under our new definition of an adequate education. We have a well thought-out plan that meets the requirements set out by our Supreme Court and is sound educational policy. In addition we recognize that the change to a new and constitutional funding system hurt certain communities, and we did what we could to help those communities," said Senator Iris Estabrook (D-Durham).

Senate Bill 539 allocates aid per pupil based on "universal" costs required in all schools and "differentiated" costs for schools with higher concentrations of economically disadvantaged pupils. Schools also get allocations for the number of children receiving special education services or English language instruction.

The legislation then adds a component called "fiscal capacity disparity aid" to help towns that struggle to raise enough money on a smaller tax base to meet the needs of their students -- a factor that could not be considered as part of costing an adequate education.

Earlier this week, the Senate Finance Committee added a third component to help towns hardest hit by the shift to a new funding system. It calls for $9 million in transitional aid in 2010 and $4.5 million in 2011 to go to about 20 communities that would lose more than 15 percent of their state grant under the new funding plan.

Those communities all fall on the low end in terms of property wealth and below certain levels in terms of median family income. The transition aid would cut in half the expected loss in state grants for 16 towns and by 25 percent for four towns in 2010. That assistance would be reduced by 50 percent in 2011 before being phased out.

The total cost of providing an adequate education for every public school pupil under this plan stands at roughly $914 million. Another $48 million was added in fiscal capacity disparity aid. The transition aid adds another $9 million in 2010 and $4.5 million in 2011.

The Senate today also passed a package of financial aid to the 11 communities adding public kindergarten in 2008 or 2009. The funding will cover all the costs for temporary classroom and provide two options for paying for permanent construction.

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SENATE SENDS EDUCATION COSTING PLAN TO FINANCE COMMITTEE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Contact: Senator Iris Estabrook (603) 271-3042

CONCORD - The Senate voted 15-9 today for the new education funding plan, sending it on to the Senate Finance Committee for additional review.

"Senate Bill 539 is a new beginning in the long story of school funding in many ways," said Senator Iris Estabrook (D-Durham), the bill's sponsor. "First and foremost, it is constitutional. We worked within the constraints of the court's unique rulings - to pay for the first and last dollar of adequacy and to avoid any consideration of property wealth."

The bill calls for $3,450 per pupil for "universal" costs, such as teachers and supplies, and "differentiated" aid of $675 per pupil requiring instruction in English as a Second Language along with two tiers of funding for special education students depending on the level of services received.

Senate Bill 539 also creates a five-step plan for directing additional aid to schools with greater concentrations of students receiving free or reduced-price lunches. Schools targeted to receive this "differentiated" aid will be asked to apply it to one or more programs that have proven successful in raising academic achievement for economically disadvantaged students. State aid under this system will be aimed at individual schools as opposed to previous plans which targeted aid at the district level.

"Though Senate Bill 539 directs resources to our most challenged schools, its spreadsheet results are in many instances a significant departure from past results," Estabrook said, explaining the reason behind creating a second level of aid apart from adequacy called "fiscal capacity disparity aid."

The fiscal capacity disparity aid directs additional dollars to communities facing the double whammy of lower family incomes and lower property wealth.

The total cost of providing an adequate education for every public school pupil under this plan stands at roughly $914 million. Another $48 million was added in fiscal capacity disparity aid.

The Senate will vote again on the plan once the Senate Finance Committee comes forward with its recommendations. Once the bill passes to the House, that body also is expected to look closely at the funding plan and make potential changes.

"This plan is the result of a lot of hard work by the Joint Legislative Committee on Costing an Adequate Education and sets us on the path to meeting the July 1 deadline set by the New Hampshire Supreme Court. But we understand this is just the beginning and we look forward to further refining this plan to best meet the needs of all our communities," said Senator Joseph Foster (D-Nashua), a co-sponsor of the plan.

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SENATE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS PASSAGE OF ADULT INVOLVEMENT BILL

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, March 10, 2008

Contact: Senator Kathy Sgambati (603) 271-3074

CONCORD - The Senate Health and Human Services Committee voted 4-1 today to send a bill to the full Senate that would ensure that young teenagers facing an unexpected pregnancy get information and support from a trained counselor.

Senate Bill 527 would require clinics and doctors to provide information and counseling for pregnant teens under age 17 as they grapple with the decisions that follow from an unintended pregnancy. Where appropriate, counselors would encourage teens to speak to their parents or other family.

"This legislation is not about limiting choice or placing obstacles in the path of young women. It does not require parental notification. It mirrors best practices in most of our state's doctor offices and clinics. It's about making sure an adult is involved in protecting the health and safety of our adolescents," said Senator Kathleen Sgambati (D-Tilton), who sponsored the bill.

The legislation has the support of Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, the largest reproductive health care organization in New Hampshire. It is co-sponsored by senators Bob Odell, Maggie Hassan, Jacalyn Cilley, Deborah Reynolds, Joseph Foster, and Betsi DeVries.

The committee members were not unanimous in their support for the legislation but agreed the bill deserved to advance to the Senate floor for a full discussion.

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SENATE PASSES BILL TO LET CERTAIN 17-YEAR-OLDS VOTE IN PRIMARIES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Contact: Senator Joseph Foster (603) 271-2111

CONCORD - The Senate voted 17-6 today for legislation to enable 17-year-olds to vote in federal and state primaries if they turn 18 before the next general election. Senate Bill 436 now heads to the House.

"Nine other states have similar laws," said Senator Deborah Reynolds (D-Plymouth), whose son James Conklin, 16, serves on the Legislative Youth Advisory Council, which requested the legislation. "Youth will have more involvement and their voice is important," she added.

The 19-member council is made up of young people ages 15 to 22 and also includes Mikayla Foster, the 16-year-old daughter of Senator Joseph Foster (D-Nashua,) who sponsored the legislation.

"My motivation is to bring young people into the process early on and to enhance our democracy," Foster said. Students who are encouraged to register to vote while still in high school are more likely to stay involved in the election process once they go to college, he argued. Otherwise many students wait until well after they graduate before they register to vote.

Mikayla Foster was among the young people who testified at a hearing before the Senate Election Law and Internal Affairs Committee. She argued the legislation would encourage younger voters to look closely at the primary candidates and get engaged in the process leading up to the general election. The committee voted unanimously to recommend passage of the bill to the full Senate.

"We commend the efforts of the Legislative Youth Advisory Council for moving this issue forward in New Hampshire and agree that it is an appropriate step in encouraging our young people to become more engaged in politics," said Senator Jacalyn Cilley (D-Barrington), who serves on that committee.

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SENATE PASSES AFFORDABLE HOUSING LEGISLATION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Contact: Senator Betsi DeVries (603) 271-2104

CONCORD - The Senate passed legislation today designed to help certain agencies that provide affordable housing in New Hampshire.

The goal of Senate Bill 199 sponsored by Senator Betsi DeVries (D-Manchester) is to assist certain agencies and developers who provide rent-restricted housing to New Hampshire workers and families but who must pay property taxes based on the market value, which assumes the property brings in market-value rents.

The legislation would require assessors to look at the actual income potential for certain affordable rental properties instead of the higher market rate.

"It is in the best interest of New Hampshire to encourage private investment in solving the affordable housing issues. If we're going to succeed in expanding our stock of affordable housing, it has to be a public-private partnership," DeVries said.

Any qualifying property would be required to have a deed restriction that ensures rents remain permanently affordable and would have to be financed through federal tax credits.

"This is a narrow group of properties," DeVries said. It would apply to about 14 properties in Manchester, including several run by Families in Transition, she said. Families in Transition provides transitional housing and support for homeless individuals and families in Manchester and Concord.

"Both businesses and families know how difficult it is to find decent and reasonably-priced housing," said Senate President Sylvia Larsen (D-Concord), who serves on the board for Families in Transition. "This bill makes sense to help meet that critical need."

Senate co-sponsors include Deborah Reynolds, Harold Janeway, Maggie Hassan, Martha Fuller Clark, Jacalyn Cilley and Peter Burling.

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SENATORS APPLAUD VOTE TO CAP INTEREST RATES ON PAYDAY LOANS

CONCORD - Senators praised the House today for voting to limit the interest rates charged on payday and title loans.

House Bill 267 passed by a vote of 207-124. Senator David Gottesman (D-Nashua) was a co-sponsor of the bill, which sets a 36 percent cap on interest rates for small loans. The legislation now heads to the Senate.

"I think it is time we put some limitations on an industry that has descended upon our state and taken advantage of our vulnerable citizens to make an unreasonable profit for their shareholders. Not only do the cash-strapped borrowers pay the costs of these loans, but our local and state welfare offices also absorb these costs, so in a sense, we are all paying," Gottesman said.

"It's just taking advantage of people who can ill afford to pay these usurious rates," said Senator John Gallus (R-Berlin). "We have to do some kind of cap. We need to remedy the unintended consequences when we removed our state's 24 percent interest rate cap in 1999."

The legislation has the support for the Attorney General, the state Banking Commissioner and the New Hampshire Local Welfare Officers Association.

"This is an important consumer protection measure that will help families avoid getting trapped in a cycle of debt," said Senator Deborah Reynolds (D-Plymouth).

"Payday lenders target those who can least afford to pay back the extraordinary fees and interest charges. Consumers can too easily get trapped in a never-ending cycle of debt," said Senator Kathleen Sgambati (D-Tilton).

Gottesman is sponsor of a Senate version of the same legislation, Senate Bill 472, which has bipartisan support with 14 senators named as co-sponsors.

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STATE TO DEVELOP NEW BROADBAND ACCESS STRATEGY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, August 10, 2007

Contact: Senator Deborah Reynolds

(603) 271-3569

CONCORD -- The Department of Resources and Economic Development is seeking a consultant to help develop a new broadband access strategy for the state.

The department sent out a request for proposals on July 31 and hopes to have a broadband consultant at work by year's end, pending Governor and Council approval. According to the Federal Communications Commission, New Hampshire is last in the nation in the percentage of residential telephone customers who have access to high speed services and lawmakers want to change that.

"Broadband access vastly increases economic development in the states that have been aggressive about deploying and supporting it," said Senator Deborah Reynolds, (D-Plymouth), who recently returned from a national conference that highlighted successful programs in other states.

"It is vital that New Hampshire make this a priority, as all of the states are becoming increasingly competitive regarding their Internet advantage," she said.

The consultant will be asked to create an updated database of existing telecommunications infrastructure along with data on utilization rates. The plan is to gather enough information so recommendations can be made about how to leverage existing services for broader consumer usage and identify areas where additional investments may be required

The goal is to create, with the input of the state's Telecommunications Advisory Board, a strategy for expanding access to high speed Internet services around the state and to identify and pursue any grants or other potential resources to move the plan forward.

"New Hampshire could be eligible for significant federal grants or loans to expand high speed Internet access around our state," Reynolds noted.

The Legislature set aside $20,000 for the consultant, a sum the Division of Economic Development expects to match with its own funds.

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SENATOR REYNOLDS JOINS GOVERNOR IN PLYMOUTH TO SPEAK OUT ABOUT CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, September 14, 2007

Contact: Senator Deborah Reynolds

603) 271-3569

PLYMOUTH - Senator Deborah Reynolds (D-Plymouth) welcomed Governor John Lynch on a visit to the Whole Village Family Resource Center today, where she pledged to work with him to expand children's access to health insurance.

"I am very pleased that Governor Lynch has been able to visit this great facility in District 2 that has helped so many children and families," said Reynolds, who serves on the board of directors for the Whole Village Family Resource Center.

Reynolds joined the governor on his visit to the center to highlight their shared commitment to the expansion of New Hampshire's Healthy Kids program. The Legislature voted this year to expand the successful program to cover 10,000 additional eligible children but actions by the Bush administration have created new and onerous restrictions.

"Healthy Kids is a New Hampshire program and New Hampshire should be allowed to set its own priorities for covering its children," Reynolds said. Lawmakers, including Lynch, are urging President Bush and congressional leaders to undo the new restrictions so states have the freedom to operate their children's health insurance programs as they see fit.

"We all recognize that solving the health insurance coverage issue is among the state's top priorities. I will continue to work with Governor Lynch to expand affordable health for our families and children", Senator Reynolds said.

Reynolds also supported the new law that expanded health insurance coverage for young adults through age 25 who remain as dependents, and to allow for the continuance of family health insurance coverage for divorced couples.

Reynolds' districts includes Alexandria, Ashland, Bath, Benton, Bridgewater, Bristol, Campton, Canaan, Center Harbor, Dorchester, Easton, Ellsworth, Groton, Haverhill, Hebron, Holderness, Landaff, Lyme, Meredith, Monroe, New Hampton, Orange, Orford, Piermont, Plymouth, Rumney, Sanbornton, Thornton, Warren, Wentworth and Woodstock.

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